Alan Ball R.I.P

I've just noticed on the BBC website that World Cup winner Alan Ball has died at the age of 61. Shame and cheers to a true football legand!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6590715.stm

Shame. Held in high regard around these parts given that he managed both Southampton and Portsmouth.

Maybe they should have kept that statue at St Marys and tried to pass it off as him...

I'm stunned. Bally was the gaffer at Stoke when I was up there, had an infectious enthusiasm for the game.

And he achieved something that no (well, only his team-mates) Englishman before him had, and probably none will again. Lifted the World Cup.

a great player,,was still doing it well into his 30s for saints and as a manager had his best moments on the south coast ,,most memorably starting with a 1.o. victory over stockport in 98 to stear pompey away from relegation,, when they where some 9 points of the pace.

absolutley pasionate about the game ,cant think of anyone prouder to wear the england shirt.

mr perpetual motion. r.i.p.

Kendall, Harvey, Ball. one of the greatest English midfield trio's of all time.

top player.

RIP

RIP

Hmmm. All charisma but pretty much no talent after retired as a player. 61 seems awfully young for a guy who clearly kept himself fit.

My feelings are definitely mixed (there's a school of thought in the Potteries that his time at Stoke set us back at least a decade, and by Christ he was a self-important gobshite), but it's a sad day for English football.

Yes, probably the lowest point in Stoke City's history, certainly the lowest league position. Mind you, he did at least make "Odds-on Luigi" look like the Messiah!

oldmonkey wrote: Yes, probably the lowest point in Stoke City's history, certainly the lowest league position. Mind you, he did at least make "Odds-on Luigi" look like the Messiah!

Yeah. For about 5 minutes.......

EDIT: And thinking about it, that arse Mick Mills made Ball look like the messiah. When Bally took over it was late October/early November, we were fourth from bottom, and he told us we were going to make the play-offs. We never went higher than fourth from bottom, hit bottom place in mid- to late November and never moved from there for the remainder of the season.

Any yet STILL we chanted "Alan Ball's Red 'n' White Army" for 90 minutes every bloody game. That's what a bloody World Cup winner's medal does for you!

Was a crap manager at Man City .

managed both saints and pompey.

Let's face it, he was a crap manager wherever he went. He managed me for one game, a testimonial match for one of the Newcastle Town guys, he and Graham Paddon both played in the match as well. I know it was only a kickabout but he couldn't inspire anyone in the dressing room, nobody was lifted by his presence as a World Cup winner. Nice guy though, and a great player, but not a manager.

King John Honest John wrote: managed both saints and pompey.

Not at the same time, admittedly.

Is he going to be buried in a white coffin?

he used to cream on about how good Kinkladze was i remember. in his squeaky voice.

True footballing legend.

R.I.P.Alan Ball MBE

King John Honest John wrote: he used to cream on about how good Kinkladze was i remember. in his squeaky voice.

He was good.............once

I saw him when I was a wee boy playing for Southampton at Anfield at the tail end of his career and from that bit I saw it was obvious he had been an outstanding player, 61 is no age, RIP

RIP

first rod hull... now alan ball. When will Man Utd stop killing people???

R.I.P.

Desmond Tierney wrote: Was a crap manager at Man City .

But great song.

"And all the runs that Kinky made were winding . . and all the goals that city score are blinding . . . .. and after all. . . you're our Alan Ball . .. "

I think its really sad. One of the best players in 66 by all accounts.

A very patriotic player and an integral part of the '66 world cup winning side, it was sad to see Bobby Charlton well-up when being interviewed aboyt Balls death the other night on the telly. A sad day for English football. But... A totally crap manager. Possibly the worst City manager there has been. A mate of mine recanted a tale about seeing City train at the Platt Lane complex, and Alan Ball was sat in a deck chair with his flat crap on, shouting at the city players through a loudhailer...??!!

funeral at winchester on thursday.

as every body has since said man of the match in 1966 world cup final,,

alan balls blue and white army, alan balls blue and white army, alan balls blue and white army, alan balls blue and white army,

79 order wrote: funeral at winchester on thursday.

as every body has since said man of the match in 1966 world cup final,,

alan balls blue and white army, alan balls blue and white army, alan balls blue and white army, alan balls blue and white army,

i think one of the only people to bridge the great south divide... ABBAWA..PUP..

it was truley amazing to see at the funeral saints fans standing by pompeys and the scarfs of liverpool,everton and saints waved in unison,

alan ball,alan ball,alan ball,,,alan ball,alan ball

79 order wrote: it was truley amazing to see at the funeral saints fans standing by pompeys and the scarfs of liverpool,everton and saints waved in unison,

alan ball,alan ball,alan ball,,,alan ball,alan ball

Well done fellas